Providentia
by SongsOfAdelaide
Summary: Providentia; The ability to see something in advance; foresight, foreknowledge. Precaution, providence, forethought. It was surprising that no matter how close the two childhood friends were, they never picked up each other's habits, but they understood each other just like clockwork. [An Iida Tenya x Original Character story] [Edited June 2020]
1. Bells in the wind

**Edited 13 June 2020 **

Hello, curious stranger! It's been a while since I last wrote something that took up so much of my time. I recently got into the fandom and thought, oh I can't sleep, I need to write this down. I've crunched this piece in every waking moment that I could, be it during my commutes, in between my shifts at work and before going to bed. I've done my part of the research, so please forgive me if there are any inaccuracies. While it's listed as a piece with original characters, please feel free to consider this as a reader insert story, because that's pretty much how I pictured it to be.

Constructive criticism is always, always, always appreciated!

* * *

_Providentia_

_The ability to see something in advance; foresight, foreknowledge._ _Precaution, providence, forethought._

_"Sera-chan has always been a daydreamer, so I guess you could say I'm..."_

_"Yes, Ten-chan, you're the anchor that keeps my feet on the ground when my head's in the clouds."_

It was surprising that no matter how close the two childhood friends were, they never picked up each other's habits, but they understood each other just like clockwork.

* * *

**Bells in the wind.**

* * *

Koganei Serina has relied on her childhood friend Iida Tenya for the longest time. The two of them have grown up fairly close, seeing as their families were good friends. Serina, who was affectionately called Sera by Tenya, often followed the boy around, tripping and crying and even snivelling in order to get his attention. While he wasn't one for believing in luck, Tenya considered Sera a lucky charm for most of their childhood.

The Koganeis were known for wielding golden weapons drawn out from their hair, but using too much of their quirk would make their scalp bleed and shed enormous amounts of hair. Sera was growing out her own hair because the longer it was, the better the weapons she could build. Their family's hair, which most people thought was strewn from gold, matched their golden eyes, which often looked like they could see people's inner thoughts.

The two children were first introduced by their own grandfathers back when they were only five, and Sera saw a twinkle in Tenya's eyes when he first saw her. Her grandfather Koganei Sentaro, whose head had already paled to white, was keen to introduce Sera to a friend who may inspire her to take up the road of heroism.

At a young age, Tenya knew that the same road awaited him and he worked hard to consider himself worthy of walking the path. However, his curiosity was sparked when he first laid eyes on the child with a head of gold and eyes like wildfire. He was the one who accompanied his grandfather on that short leisurely trip to the Sawaguchi Keiretsu, which led to his encounter with the Koganei's young lady.

The blue-eyed boy recalled how his grandfather gave the old man called Koganei Sentaro a firm handshake. He looked quite odd, but he knew it was impolite to discuss a person's appearance. Sentaro wore a red yukata with a black sash and kept his long white hair in a loose braid with the same dark-coloured ribbon.

"I see Tensei-kun isn't with you," the Koganei patriarch spoke as he eyed the young boy with his friend. "Eager to make a name for himself?"

"Mm," Tenya's grandfather replied. "Very eager indeed. I assume Serika-chan is..."

"Bah," Sentaro replied with a scoff. "That child is uninterested in being a hero, almost as if she didn't belong to this family at all!"

"Ji-chan!" A small voice cut through the cold silence and the conversation of the elderly men, followed by the tapping of small heels against the tiled floor. "Tou-chan said you were looking for me?"

"Ah, Sera-chan, I've been waiting for you," the old man in red held out his hand to a little girl who was in a red jumper dress. She wore a white dress shirt with puffed sleeves on the inside along with matching red sandals. She took her grandfather's hand and turned to the glasses-wearing blue-eyed stranger who obviously looked absolutely bewitched by her.

Tenya felt his grandfather lightly nudge his head. "Close your mouth, it's unbecoming."

He pursed his lips and averted his gaze from the blonde and golden-eyed child who was probably around his age. The girl hid behind her grandfather's yukata, but a smile could be seen on her round face.

"Sera-chan, he's a good friend of mine," Koganei Sentaro began talking. He rested a hand on his granddaughter's head to get her attention, but most of his words were drowned out when she met young Tenya's eyes again.

Perhaps her young heart didn't want to admit it, but Sera was just as captivated with him as he was with her, and she heard bells ringing in her head when she looked into the young boy's blue, blue eyes. She felt her grandfather give her a gentle push towards the boy, who had his hand held out to her for a handshake.

"It's nice to meet you. My name is Iida Tenya. I'm—"

The little boy, who was dressed in a pressed blue dress shirt and dark chinos, was taken by surprise when the little girl took his hand in her own two hands and pulled him much closer.

"I'm Koganei Serina!" She stated with a wide smile. "It's nice to meet you too, Ten-chan!"


	2. Peach-coloured dreams

**Peach-coloured dreams.**

* * *

It was no secret to everyone in their middle school that Koganei Serina and Iida Tenya were close friends, but they found their relationship rather odd, seeing as she was a rule breaker while he demanded the rules to be followed.

"Here he comes, Seri-chan!"

The young blonde, who was always surrounded by friends, could only manage a smile as the stern student council president approached her.

"My apologies, but I'm going to have to apprehend you, Koganei-san," the blue-eyed boy gently grasped her wrist.

"Saa, give her a break, _kaichou!_" Her friends cried out. "You've done nothing but pick on Seri-chan every day!"

Tenya turned his sight to his childhood friend, who looked back at him with her wide golden eyes, a smile playing on her lips. "Ten-chan..."

Regardless of her friends' protests, she was still dragged away to the student council office.

"Honestly, Sera-chan, it's like you like getting yourself in trouble," Tenya proceeded to wrap Sera in his school blazer. "It's the third time this week."

She slid her arms into the oversized cream-coloured blazer and twirled in front of him. "Or maybe you just can't keep your eyes off your adorable childhood friend, ne, Ten-chan?"

"Please stop wearing bright-coloured underwear that can be seen through your shirt, Sera-chan!"

Such was their life in the prestigious Soumei Junior High School. Sera, who didn't want to be apart from Tenya for even a moment, strove hard to be able to make it to the equally-prestigious UA High School.

On their summer vacation before the UA entrance exams, Tenya asked not to be disturbed and insisted on making his preparations on his own. While she felt a little hurt about it, Sera relented, knowing it was something important to him. She took it as an opportunity to prepare herself as well.

She held back her laughter when Tenya made a grand remark during their practical entrance exams, startling everyone in the room with his earnestness. She had always admired his wit and grit and get shit done attitude, but he certainly showed great improvement during the practical entrance exams. Sera knew from the get-go that she wasn't as smart or as brilliant or as skilled as Tenya, so she relied on her spirit and resilience to get her through her tests and passed by a hair's breadth.

A strange gap between them occurred during their first year at UA, but it was no surprise, seeing as they were assigned to different classes. While she disliked the idea of being far from Tenya, Sera thought it would be a good learning opportunity for her to be apart from her childhood friend.

Sera learned that Tenya had befriended that one kid who smashed a zero-point villain bot during the entrance exams, as well as a girl who can make things float. She saw the three of them walking home together and thought it would be rude to interrupt them.

"Seri-chan? Let's walk home together!" One of her classmates, Tokage Setsuna, called out to her with an elegant smile on her face.

Sera nodded at her and smiled back. "Sure, Set-chan!"

Her 1-B classmates definitely made her feel less lonely, but it felt like the gap between her and Tenya continued to grow and grow to the point where they eventually stopped talking.

* * *

"Honestly, it feels like we're just here to make them look good."

Sera could sense the annoyance in Monoma Neito's voice as they walked into the centre of the Sports Festival Stadium. Class 1-A had been the talk of the town after their exploits at the USJ. The events back then gave her the scare of her lifetime, even prompting her to call Tenya, who she hasn't spoken to since the entrance exams.

_'Ah, yes, I'm all right, Sera-chan, and so are my classmates.'_

Tenya heard her sniffle from the other end of the phone. _'Thank you for worrying about me, Sera-chan.'_

She felt the gap between them close for a single moment, but she came to realise he was just pausing.

Sera felt a strange mix of emotions spin in her heart as she watched Tenya on the stadium's widescreen LCD. She was one of the unfortunate kids who weren't able to get through the first round of the sports festival and was thus resigned to sit through the entire event. She couldn't come to terms with the heartache she felt as she watched her childhood friend take to the battlefield.

_'Strange,'_ she thought. She had always been captivated by Tenya's straightforward way of dealing with things, but seeing him excel, propelled further away from her... She felt the frustration bubble within her.

"Ne, Koganei, you must really like that straight-laced guy from 1-A, huh?"

Sera turned to one of her classmates, Tetsutetsu Tetsutetsu, who was watching the showdown between 1-A's Iida Tenya and Todoroki Shouto.

"He's my childhood friend," she muttered. "So I guess it's natural that I'm drawn to watch him."

He tilted his head and gave her a confused expression. "Why do you sound so upset, though?"

"Ah, I'm not—"

When it was announced that Todoroki Shouto won the round, the rest of Class 1-B was surprised when Sera bolted from her seat and ran down where she thought Tenya would be, but hesitated as he saw his friends from 1-A with him.

"Ah," Tenya remarked their eyes met. "Sera-chan!"

Startled, she thought of running back to her classmates, but she found herself once again drawn to approach him. "T-Ten-ch—"

She froze on her tracks when he approached her rather angrily; reaching for her unzipped PE shirt and snappily zipping it back up.

"Sera-chan, please wear your uniform properly as you may expose yourself."

She was staring back at him, suddenly dazzled by his appearance. How long has it been since she last gave him a good look up close?

"This is Koganei Serina," Tenya said with a smile. Sera realised that his two friends were standing beside him. "She's my childhood friend."

His friends introduced themselves as Midoriya Izuku and Uraraka Ochaco. From what she could see, they seemed like friends who would definitely be good to Tenya.

"You did good, Ten— Ah, I mean—"

"What's the matter, Sera-chan?"

"Ah, it's nothing! I-I better get back to my classmates!" She raised her hands in defence before taking one from both Izuku and Ochaco. "Please treat Tenya well!"

She gave their hands a good squeeze before letting go and running back to Class 1-B's designated area.

"She's the one who can make gold weapons from her hair, right?" Izuku uttered as they watched the retreating figure.

"Iida-kun, is she really your friend? She's so pretty!" Ochaco exclaimed. "Like a fairy!"

Tenya chuckled. "She is pretty. Very pretty."

As the rest of the day progressed and came to an end, Sera was shocked to find out that Tenya had to leave the event due to family reasons. A flurry of emotions caused her to drop gold leaves from where she sat, startling her classmates once again.


	3. Suddenly, you are floating

**Suddenly, you are floating. **

* * *

Sera hasn't heard from Tenya since news of Ingenium's incapacitation was broadcast on television. She tried calling him and messaging him, but to no avail, and she even waited for him outside his classroom the week after their internships. However, she couldn't bring herself to face him, seeing that he always had this dire expression on his face.

She's come to realise a few things, and while she was confused about a lot of those, one that stood out was that the gap between them has grown tremendously large to the point where she can't even see him on the horizon.

* * *

This one's rather short, but I think I like it that way. The title of this chapter comes from a song by featuring Sorako, Suddenly, You Are Floating. I found English translations to the lyrics of the song and I thought it matched the mood of the story. Thanks for sticking around so far!


	4. For crying out loud, settle down

**For crying out loud, settle down.**

* * *

Sera had grown content with just watching Tenya's progress.

A lot of things have happened over the school year that shook the entire institution, such as villains attacking hero classes, the kidnapping of Class 1-A's ace, Bakugou Katsuki, and the retirement of All Might.

She and Tenya had started talking on the phone again, but it was only for very short periods, as if he were checking to see if she was still there. She was used to being the centre of his attention during their childhood, but she reconciled with the fact that it wasn't going to happen again. In her head, Tenya was already miles away from where she was standing.

Over the weekend, she had spoken to her grandfather about something she needed to do. It was something that startled the old man, but he understood where she was coming from. For Sera, it felt like she had been reduced from a friend to an observer in Tenya's life and she didn't want that.

"Are you sure about this, Sera-chan?" Sawaguchi Sentaro asked his granddaughter, who was seated across her with a dire expression on her face.

"Come on, ji-chan, weren't you the one who asked first?" She said with a smile. "I'm sure, so you don't have to think twice."

"All right then. I'll start making preparations."

"Thanks, ji-chan."

The Sawaguchi patriarch was surprised when his granddaughter ran into his arms, sniffling as she hugged him. He ran a soothing hand over her hair.

"I'm glad that you're finally thinking about yourself first, Sera-chan. I'm sure Seito would like this as well."

* * *

15:50

Following another joint physical education class between Class 1-A and Class 1-B, the students shuffled back to their respective dormitories, all tired and sweaty in their PE uniforms.

"Here, this is for you!" Sera tossed a piece of metal towards Class 1-A's class representative. A piece of gold shaped into a key spun onto a golden chain landed in Tenya's hands.

"This is...?" he looked puzzled, holding the key quizzically as he held his chin.

"That's a key to my dorm room, dummy," she replied with a grin. "Come see me when you're not busy, ne?"

"Th-That's-!"

She expected a flustered reply from him. They've been together for more than a decade, but it seems like he'll never outgrow or get used to her teasing.

"Th-This is absolutely improper... How many people have you given your keys to?!" Tenya exclaimed, surprising Sera. She turned back at him and smirked.

"Y'know, for someone as smart as you, you're actually pretty dumb when it comes to this."

"Sera-chan, not only is this inappropriate, but it's also dangerous! You're inviting people to come over-"

"Ten-chan."

"-to your own dormitory, as if welcoming an attack! What if these keys fall into-"

"Ten-chan."

"-the wrong hands and you're assaulted while you're sleeping or in a vulnerable state-"

"**Tenya!**"

He was surprised to see Sera pouting at him, her face red with anger and embarrassment.

"You're the only one I've ever given a key to, you... you..."

"Sera-chan, wait-"

"Dumbass!"

She was quick to produce a barricade to prevent herself from being chased by Tenya. She ran back to her dormitory room and locked up, but not before soundlessly screaming into her shirt.

* * *

_"Inspire her to be a hero, Tenya-kun. She needs someone she can look up to, or even better... Someone she can work with to reach the same goal."_

Ironically, Tenya wore the necklace holding the key to Sera's dorm room. He remembered his first encounter with her grandfather, Sawaguchi Sentaro, and how the old man's cryptic message from his childhood finally made sense to him now. He heard a knock on his door, distracting him from his own thoughts.

"Iida-kun?" It was Izuku. Tenya got up from his bed and opened the door, finding both Izuku and Shouto standing outside.

"Ah! We just came to check if you're all right!" Izuku's green eyes shone in the darkness of the dormitory's corridors.

"It looked like you had an argument with Sawaguchi earlier," Shouto stated, crossing his arms over his chest as he rested against the door frame. "She looked rather pissed."

Their eyes were drawn to the glint of light on Tenya's broad chest.

"Ah, this is from Sera-chan. It's-"

"A key to her dorm room, I presume," Shouto smiled a little as he tilted his head. "Iida, it's already quite obvious that Sawaguchi really likes you."

"It's only natural that she does, especially since we're childhood friends," Tenya replied with a sigh. "But sometimes, I don't know what to do with her."

"Iida-kun, d-don't you suppose Sawaguchi-san l-likes you..." Izuku raised his eyes to meet Tenya's gaze. "More than a childhood friend?"

"You mean like a best friend, then?"

"N-No, Iida-kun! Like... Like a-!"

"Iida, I think Sawaguchi likes you as a lover."

Shouto turned his gaze to his friends, who looked like they were hit with a wall. Tenya's face lit up with a blush, same with Izuku.

"Ah, no, no, no, that's not possible," Tenya started, raising his hands to make a point. "Sera-chan and I have been friends for the longest time and she knows almost everything about me and all of my bad habits and mannerisms and if I were her, I would definitely reconsider liking a guy like me."

"Haven't you considered that it may be the same for her?" Shouto turned to Tenya, who had a panicked expression on his face. "You know almost everything about her, too, right?"

That was true, he thought. He knew how she had this habit of underdressing herself, how she always wore too much perfume, how she always loses hair ties and hairpins and how she always sheds gold leaves whenever she's nervous.

"But do you like her, Iida-kun?"

Tenya turned to Izuku, who had a rather crooked smile on his face. "I... To be honest, I've never given that any thought at all."

Sera, who had been part of Tenya's life for the most part, had become a figure he got used to seeing all the time. He believed Sera would be a permanent part of his life and things wouldn't change between them, even in the future, but he was faced with the prospect of their relationship taking a different turn.

"You should take that as an invitation to see if the two of you would work together," Shouto stood up straight before turning his back on his friends. "But then again, the two of you have always been like clockwork, even though it looked like you rarely get along."

Izuku nodded. "Todoroki-kun is right, Iida-kun. Maybe Sawaguchi-san is telling you something... And maybe you can't understand it because she hasn't finished explaining yet."

* * *

17:15

Tenya expected his arrival to be met with hostility, especially since it was Monoma Neito who greeted him at the entrance to Class 1-B's dormitories. The blond stood with his arms crossed over his chest, blocking the way inside.

"Hoo! What brings 1-A's class representative to our dormitories?"

"Sorry, I'm here to see Ser- Ah, I mean Sawaguchi-san. We need to speak about something important."

Neito was mumbling, staring back at Tenya with the same look of madness he had during their very first encounter. "...these damn 1-A kids think they can just barge into wherever they want like they own the damn-"

The blond suddenly crumpled to the floor, followed by Kendo Itsuka grabbing him by his collar. "Sorry about that, Iida-san. If you're looking for Seri-chan, she's probably asleep, but..."

She eyed the golden key hanging on his chest. "You're her closest friend, so I guess she wouldn't mind you coming over to see her. I assume you know where her room is?"

Tenya nodded at the red-haired girl, who was clutching Neito's collar like she would a kitten. "Thank you, Kendo-kun."

He climbed up the stairs and walked to the second to the last room on the right side of the building's third floor, reading his childhood friend's name etched on the gold nameplate hanging on her door. He removed the necklace he wore and slid the key in the doorknob, gently twisting it open.

"Sera-chan?"

Tenya called out in the darkness of her room. He gently reached out for anything that could lead her to Sera. From what he recalled, she had a bunk bed which was situated on the right side of the room. He traced the wall on his right and realised he was touching her closet. Which meant...

Four steps and he found himself standing next to Sera's bed. He reached for the upper bunk and found it empty, finally deducing that she was sleeping on the lower bunk. He sighed, bending down to take a seat beside her sleeping figure.

"Sera-chan, it's Tenya," he murmured. "I'd like to apologise for not carefully considering your feelings earlier. I was only worried about your well-being. You shouldn't be giving away something as important as your dorm room keys to just anyone..."

He turned to Sera, who was wrapped in her blankets. "But I'm sorry. I keep on forgetting that I am an important person to you."

Sera, who was listening closely to what Tenya was saying, didn't want to move an inch from her position. She remained curled into a ball, clutching her thick blankets close to her.

Tenya, her very first love and perhaps her only love, a hero in the making who inherited his elder brother's title, was apologising to her because he didn't know what to make out with her feelings.

He was surprised when he stirred in her 'sleep' and slowly sat up. She could make out his face in the darkness thanks to the shine on his glasses. "Ten-chan..."

"Yes, I'm here," he replied softly.

"I..." she whispered. "I really do like you, Ten-chan. You'll always be my hero... But things can't stay like this."

He heard her sniffle, startling him.

"L-Like this?... Sera-chan, what do you mean?"

She reached for his hand and gently placed it on her cheek. He felt his fingers touch a warm wetness, which he later came to realise were her tears.

"I have to... become a hero, too," she cried. "I came here so I can be a hero, too, and yet... And yet I can't see you anymore! I... I can't be the hero I have to be if... if..."

Sera was gently pulled into a tight embrace as she sobbed. She was used to being held by Tenya when they were younger, but it felt like she was being held by a different person now. She slowly raised her arms to hug him back, feeling the tenseness in his upper body.

"Sera-chan... I'm sorry."

"I want to be a hero, too..." She mumbled against his neck. "I want to be a hero worthy of standing beside you, Tenya... That's why I have to do this."

"Do... Do what?"

They sat there in the darkness for a good ten minutes before he finally saw her motionless in his arms, soundly asleep after being soothed by his embrace. Tenya let out a sigh of relief as he gently laid her down her bed again, wrapping her in her thick blanket.

"Good night, Serina."


	5. Blue is the sky, bright is the sunshine

**Blue is the sky, bright is the sunshine.**

* * *

As they were heading home for the weekend, Tenya overheard the teachers gathered outside Class 1-B's room, talking about the student in the folder held by Vlad King.

"It certainly is sad news, but her grandfather came to the campus personally and spoke to Principal Nezu about it," Class 1-B's homeroom teacher spoke.

Midnight sighed in defeat. "A talented child, that one. So much lost potential. But there's no way we can interfere if it's for family reasons."

"Who is she again? The golden girl," Eraserhead asked.

"It's Koganei Serina," Vlad King replied, handing over the folder to Aizawa. "Shiny Hero: Goldrush."

The teachers were startled when they saw Tenya approach them with a shocked expression on his face.

"I'm sorry! I didn't mean to overhear, but are you talking about Koganei Serina?!"

"Ah, she's your childhood friend, isn't she, Iida-kun?" Midnight remarked. "Did you know that she's leaving UA to go overseas?"

* * *

He can't recall the last time he ran to his childhood friend's house.

"Ah, if it isn't Tenya-kun."

The young man was greeted by a familiar face. She looked a lot like Sera, but the elegance in her speech and movement said otherwise. She wore a cream-coloured blouse with pale teal skirt that reached her ankles.

"Sorry for intruding, Serika nee-san," he gave a low bow to the older woman.

"Come in, come in, don't be a stranger!"

Koganei Serika was the eldest granddaughter of Koganei Sentaro from his son Seito, and she chose to inherit the family business than be involved in heroism. Like Sera, she had the blonde hair that could weave weapons and the golden eyes that could see right through people, or that's what they thought. Serika chose to keep her hair at chin's length, as if defying and denying the power she was born with.

"Serina is with oji-san," the older girl placed a porcelain cup filled with flower tea before her guest, whom she sat at their dinner table. "They've been gone for most of the day, so I figure they would be home in a while. You're welcome to stay and wait for them."

"I, uh..." Tenya replied rather unsurely.

"Is something on your mind, Tenya-kun?" Serika took a seat across the young man, smiling as she took note of the way he carried himself. He was still in his UA school uniform.

"Serika nee-san," he began. "I heard from the senseis at school that Sera-chan's enrollment at UA would be withdrawn because she has to leave the country."

The older girl's warm smile turned into a pensive one, and she brought her hand to her palm, sighing.

"Is... Is it true?"

"Tenya-kun," she replied. "Serina has relied on you for the longest time. And you... Well..."

She managed to smile at him again. "You're one of the reasons why that girl managed to enter UA after all. But she's come to realise a few things, especially after... After what happened to your brother."

"You mean Tensei nii-san?"

"Mm," she replied, pouring herself a cup of tea as they spoke. "When that horrible thing happened, she was crying when she came back home, obviously distraught that she couldn't do anything for you. She said you were absolutely inconsolable."

"But she..."

"She told me," Serika curled her fingers around the cup in her hands. "That she wanted to be someone you can rely on as well, but she can't be that kind of person if she keeps on relying on you."

"I..."

"That's why she made the decision to leave UA and move to Australia," she took a sip of tea. "She said that she can't grow into the person she expects herself to be if you're always there to look out for her."

"But I..." His voice quavered. "I've always liked looking out for her. I... I take pride in being someone who watched out for her safety and well-being. And yet, I..."

"We know that, Tenya-kun," she smiled at him. "Do you... feel like you're holding her back?"

Then it dawned on him. All those times he told her not be too reckless, to always be careful, and all those times he stopped her from jumping headfirst into the unknown... That's when he realised that he was indeed holding her back.

"I... I do."

"She feels the same way, Tenya-kun," Serika stated. "All those times you had to stay behind for her sake... And that feeling of resentment she kept in her heart whenever she realised that you were already way ahead of her... She cried back then and said that she was holding you back from who you were supposed to be."

_'Onee-chan, I want to be someone Ten-chan can rely on, too! I want to be a hero for him, too! But I can't... I can't be who I want to be if he's always around to look out for me!'_

Serika breathed a sigh of relief after recalling her little sister's face muddled with sweat and tears. "Tenya-kun, do you think my little sister is pretty popular?"

"Ah, yes," Tenya nodded. "Sera-chan does get confessed to... It's kind of surprising how she can't consider even at least one."

The older girl gave him a knowing smile. "I'm afraid my little sister doesn't look at anyone else but you, Tenya-kun."

"M-Me?..."

"At first I thought it was just a hyperfixation," she chuckled softly. "I still remember when she first met you. She couldn't stop talking about how 'neat' you looked and how she wanted to mess up your hair real bad, but the more she talked about you, especially as the years passed, the more I came to understand."

_'I want to be someone worthy of Ten-chan someday! Even if it's just as a friend!'_

Serika caressed the edge of her cup with her thumb. "Serina simply adores you, Tenya-kun."

"I..." he paused. "I never really considered that at all..."

The older girl saw a light shine in their living room window. "Oh, it looks like they're here. Why don't you make yourself at home in Serina's room instead?"

"Ah, I should be on my way, Serika nee-san, I—" The young man got up from his seat, but he was shooed to the direction of the stairs, a set he was most familiar with.

"Go, Tenya-kun," Serika gave him a little push upward. "She'll be up there in a moment."

Tenya recalled how the carpeted stairs had 14 steps, four at the base and ten which made up the case heading to the house's second floor. Sera's room was at the left side of the floor, and it had the same gold nameplate hanging on her door as well. He twisted the doorknob open and saw his childhood friend's room, which was both familiar and unfamiliar to him at the same time. A few medium-sized brown boxes were set on the left side of her room, sitting near her sliding door closet.

The wooden dresser contained the cosmetics Sera used daily, such as her face cream, lipsticks, hair oils and perfume. Tenya's eyes were drawn to the small golden frame on her bedside drawer, which contained a photograph of the two of them during their childhood. It was Sera's sixth birthday and he was her only guest.

_'I don't need any more friends as long as I have Ten-chan!'_

He gently picked up the picture frame and smiled at their younger selves. She wore a glittering red dress with a hood, while he was in his usual neatly-pressed collared shirt. The young Sera in the photograph clung onto his arm, the two of them holding up peace signs with equally wide smiles.

He set the photo down back on its proper position before taking a seat on the pink carpet.

Downstairs, Sera was ready to undress from her sweat-soaked shirt. She pulled up the edge of her neon pink shirt, revealing a dark-coloured camisole underneath. "Haa! Just when I thought ji-chan was gonna give me a break from training!"

"I wouldn't do that if I were you," Serika hummed, smiling as she placed the two cups on their kitchen table on a tray before taking them to the kitchen.

"Onee-chan, you weirdo," the younger girl dismissed her sister's comment. Sera made her way up to her room with her right arm halfway out through her shirt, and she almost shot out when she opened the door and saw Tenya sitting seiza on the carpet in the middle of the place.

"T-T-Ten-chan?!"

"Sorry for intruding! I just... felt like I needed to talk to you, Sera-chan!"

He wasn't surprised when she ran out of her room, small golden leaves on her trail. He heard her heavy footfalls and some grumbling, but she returned carrying a carton of orange juice and two glasses.

"Ah, let me—"

"D-Don't come any closer!" Sera placed the items on the small coffee table in the middle of the room and sat down across him. "I... Ji-chan and I went out to train, so I stink."

"I-I see... Don't mind me if I help myself, then," Tenya took the carton of juice and poured some for himself and for her.

"S-Sorry, Ten-chan, do you mind if I take a quick shower?"

He could see that she was talking into her shirt, bringing the edge of the collar to the bridge of her nose. He realised that it's been a while since he last took a good look at his childhood friend.

"Ah, g-go ahead, Sera-chan, I can wait."

"Good," she stood up and walked to her closet, sliding the wooden door open. She carried out a handful of clothes before walking out of the room. "You know you're always free to look around, but I'm starting to pack up some of my things, so there may not be much to look at."

A piece of her clothing fell from her arms as she walked out of her room. Tenya got up and picked it up, a blush spreading on his face as he inspected the item. He was hesitant to call her back, so he opted to fold it neatly and place it on her bed instead.

"Always so careless..." He muttered to himself. However, a smile played across his face as he remembered how she looked a moment ago, her long blonde hair pulled up into a tight ponytail, some strands already falling to her face, her nape and neck covered in sweat that made her skin look like it was gleaming and the heavy red that painted her face which was obviously due to exhaustion. He realised how she grew out of her chubby, child-like frame and kept it hidden underneath her usually loose clothing.

_'She had always been soft to hold,'_ he thought to himself. _'Maybe I never realised it because I rarely held her nowadays.'_

Meanwhile, Sera was panicking in the bathroom, coming to terms that she dropped an important piece of clothing in her room. She sighed in resignation and defeat. "Ah... It's Ten-chan, after all..."

Back in Sera's room, Serika took a peek and smiled at the young man. "Stay for dinner, Tenya-kun. Baa-chan is making beef stew."

He raised his hand. "I-I wouldn't want to impose—"

"Oh, nonsense," the older girl replied. "You're family, after all! And baa-chan said it's been a while since she last saw you, so you should stay for a bit."

Tenya smiled. "I guess it has been a while... I'll take up your offer then, Serika nee-san."

"Where is Serina?"

"I'm here, nee-chan," the younger girl appeared, clutching her sweaty clothes to her chest. She was surprised when her older sister snatched them from her hands.

"Tomorrow's washing day, so I'll be taking these!"

"Nee-chan!"

"In you go!"

Serika promptly pushed her little sister into her room, gently closing the door behind her.

"S-Sorry... Did I take too long?"

"Not at all, Sera-chan," he replied. "But, ah, I think you dropped this on your way out."

Tenya took the folded garment on her bed and handed it back to her. She quickly grabbed the item and tossed it back into her closet.

"I-I don't need it anymore," she mumbled, taking a seat beside him now. "Now what brings you here, Ten-chan? Did nee-chan tell you anything strange?"

_'Ah.'_ He gave her a good look again, taking in her damp hair and flushed face. Her red loose shirt hung almost carelessly over her torso, but her dark shorts were rather tight.

"I just came to confirm if it's true," he replied, snapping out of his trance. "I heard the senseis discussing it earlier today and I thought that they were kidding."

She was surprised to hear that the news already reached him, especially after she and her grandfather tried to make things as discreet as possible. Sera began to tie her wet hair into a loose braid. "Ji-chan was the one who came over and discussed things with Principal Nezu earlier this morning. Afterwards, he had my dorm room vacated. I said my goodbyes to my classmates today and went out for a short spar. To be honest, I never thought that things would fly by so quickly. I expected the withdrawal to last at least a few days..."

"When..." He swallowed the lump in his throat. "When will you be leaving?"

She smiled at him, gently reaching for his face. "Ten-chan, are you upset?"

"I..." His reply came out short. He tried to calm his senses when she suddenly closed the distance between them, resting her forehead against his own.

"Please don't be upset," she whispered. "I said it before. I want to... grow into a hero worthy enough to stand beside you. I..."

Tenya heard her voice crack. "Sera-chan..."

"I want to learn how to stand on my own two feet. I want to stand beside you, not just rely on you all the time..."

Sera, who was on the verge of tears, was surprised when he brought his hand to her neck, gently caressing her nape.

"I understand, Sera-chan," he managed a smile. He wiped away the tears that ran down her cheeks. "If you need your space to grow, then so be it."

She held onto his hands, which were holding her face. "Ten-chan..."

"I, too, will grow up into a hero worthy of being your friend, Koganei Serina," he stated surely. "I'll be waiting here."

Smiling through the tears, she nodded at him. "Please wait for me to come home, Iida Tenya."

They managed to laugh at their own seriousness, breaking apart from each other's grip into a fit of giggles and chuckles.

"S-Stop moving so carelessly, Sera-chan!" Tenya wheezed. "You're going to expose yourself—!"

Sera was rolling on her floor, laughing as he tried to pull down her shirt. "I-I can't help it! Y-Your serious face is always so funny, Ten-chan!"

"I always have a serious face! Are you saying my face is always funny, Sera-chan?!"

"Kyaa! Don't tickle me!"

The fit of laughter could be heard from downstairs, where the rest of the Koganei family was. The family patriarch chuckled to himself. "At least we know they aren't doing anything indecent."

"I agree," the elderly woman who was cooking up a storm in their kitchen replied. "But then again, Tenya-kun has always been a very proper child."

"Nothing less than spectacular from that family," Sentaro replied.

The rest of the evening went by perfectly well. Tenya had been a frequent guest of the family especially when he was much younger, and the mistress of the house took a great liking to him.

"I'm afraid I've overstayed, but I can't thank you enough for preparing such a wonderful meal!" The young man gave the elderly couple a deep bow. "I look forward to my next visit."

"Always so polite," the Koganei matriarch said dotingly. "I can imagine the kind of children you and Serina would bring up!"

"B-Baa-chan! D-Don't say weird stuff like that!" Sera exclaimed with a red face.

"I think Sera-chan and I would have good children," Tenya replied with a smile, his remark further surprising the people in the house.

"T-T-Ten-chan!" Sera raised her hands to her face, which was extremely hot from all her blushing. A few small golden leaves suddenly dropped from where she was standing.

He turned back to her and smiled. "Don't you agree with me?"

Her childhood friend made his way to their door, quickly putting on his school shoes again. She stood behind him, her hands meeting behind her back, watching as he curiously folded his pants up to his knees.

"Ten-chan..."

"Thank you for having me over tonight, Sera-chan," he gave her a smile. "If it's possible, I'd like you to come over at home as well. I'm sure nii-san would like to see you before you go."

She smiled and nodded at him. "Of course. I'll make time for it."

"Good night, then," he stated. "Ah, but before I go..."

Tenya leaned down and brushed a kiss on Sera's warm cheek, holding her hand as he did so. He met her flustered eyes with a cheeky smile and was gone with a puff of smoke.

"Th..." She touched her left cheek subconsciously. "Th-That Ten-chan..."

* * *

Notes: From where I live, it's kind of customary to head home every weekend, especially when you live in a dormitory for most of the week. That explains why Tenya made his way to his childhood friend's home rather than returning to Heights Alliance.


	6. Orange and a beat

**Orange and a beat.**

* * *

_Ah, nii-san! I hope you're around tomorrow. Sera-chan will be coming over for a visit.'_

_ 'Ahh, it's been a while since I last saw Sera-chan! I'm glad you finally decided to invite her over again.'_

But on the promised day, Tenya and Sera arrived at the Iida residence and found no one at home.

"S-Sorry for the intrusion..." She gently stated as she unlaced her sneakers. She saw him place a set of small slippers before her before he called out to his family.

He found a note on their kitchen table and inspected it. Sighing, he turned back to his childhood friend, who obviously put a lot of effort into her appearance today. Sera wore an airy peach-coloured long dress with a white inner shirt.

"Ten-chan? Where are they?"

"I'm afraid they won't be back for a while, Sera-chan," he responded, setting down the little note on the table again. "However, they did say that they were looking forward to seeing you. Looks like we're gonna have to wait a little."

"Ah..."

"They had to go to the hospital for a bit, so..."

"Um..."

A strange silence enveloped them for a split second before Tenya approached Sera, surprising her as he took her hand. "W-We can stay in my room while we wait!"

As she expected, not a lot has changed in his room since she last came over. His curtains and bed sheets were still blue, and he still had books lined up neatly in his shelves and some on the floor. She eyed the photo frames displayed on one of his shelves and saw two that caught her attention.

One was a photograph of the two of them when they were children. It was Tenya's seventh birthday and held a present in one of his arms and she was beside him, clinging onto his other arm. They both had cheeky smiles on their faces, but she looked like she was about to cry.

"Ah, that's from one of my birthdays, yes? I remember how much you wanted to cry because my other friends were there as well," he said with a smile. "While it's true that I've grown to have other friends, you've always remained most special to me, Sera-chan."

Sera stubbornly wiped away a tear on the corner of her left eye. "I-I know that, but where did you get this?"

She raised the other frame and turned back to face him. Tenya saw that it was a photo of her back in middle school. It was a stolen shot of her smiling with her classmates framing her.

"Ah, that's from..." He contemplated on whether he would tell her where exactly he obtained the photo, but he figured that it's been a while anyway. "I caught one of the school paper photographers stealing that shot from you. It was only natural that I apprehended them, but, ah..."

_'C'mon, kaichou! I'll let you in on a little secret if you let this slide!'_

He held his chin, brows furrowed as he recalled his actions. "As shameless as I thought it was, I actually let him go in exchange for that photograph."

Sera tried to hold back her laughter. "T-Ten-chan, how shameless!"

"I know! I apologise!" He proceeded to kneel down and she knew where he was going.

"O-Oi, stop that!" She pulled him back up before he could completely do dogeza. "Seriously, Ten-chan! It's all right! This photo is years old, anyway."

"Still, it was something I kept without your consent..."

"Oh, Ten-chan, it's all right, for goodness' sake. I'm actually surprised you kept it around..."

Sera proceeded to return the photo on the shelf and babbled about how nice the other photos were. He had a few photos of Class 1-A on display as well. Tenya, on the other hand, was drawn to an item on his study table that he hasn't seen before. He saw a small carton of... _something..._ and a small note that looked like it was written by his elder brother.

_'Tenya,'_ the note began. _'I know I don't need to remind you, but always keep in mind that Sera-chan is Sentaro-san's precious granddaughter and a dear friend to our family, so don't do anything that would harm her. If ever you get carried away, don't forget to—'_

Tenya's blue eyes turned to the box that was still neatly wrapped in clear plastic. "Th-This is—!"

"Ten-chan, did you even listen to a word I was saying?" Sera remarked, annoyed that her childhood friend looked bothered by something. "What's that you have?"

Panicking, he hurriedly hid the box behind him, but his expression was enough to pique her attention. "I-It's nothing!"

Sera made soft footfalls, approaching him curiously. "Ten-chan, you have something you don't want to show me? How lewd!"

She snickered at him, but she was surprised when he didn't flinch, the same panicked expression still on his face. "Ten-chan, what is going on?! What's that you're hiding from me?!"

She took another step forward and was suddenly too close to him, causing both of them to stumble and crash onto his bed.

"S-Sera-chan, are you all right?!"

It was Tenya's first instinct to catch her in his arms, and she landed right on top of him. Sera huffed and pulled out the slightly flattened box from underneath him, a triumphant grin on her face.

"What's this? Are these—"

He quickly snatched the box from her hand. "It's not what you think. I—"

"Of course it's not, Ten-chan," she said with a laugh, trying to keep her composure, but she already started shedding gold leaves. "I mean, why on earth would a model student keep a box of condoms in his room, right?!"

A blush spread on her face as she gently got up from their position. "I-I mean, y-you don't have those in handy just in case y-you have s-someone—"

"Sera-chan, this is nii-san's doing," Tenya replied with a sigh. He reached for the note on his desk and handed it to her. Her golden eyes scanned the note quickly, her face turning even redder.

He feigned a cough into his fist and got up, throwing the small box into his bedside drawer. "It would be improper to lay hands on you before marriage, so I see we have no use for these yet. After all, I..."

Tenya turned back to his childhood friend, who had a shocked and panicked expression on her face. "Sera-chan?"

"Y-Y-You said marriage!" She squeaked, one of her hands placed on her chest. More gold leaves dropped from her hair.

"Well, yes, isn't it natural for two people who love each other to get married eventually?" He looked at her with an as-a-matter-of-fact expression on his face. "I don't know how long you'll be in Australia, but when you come home, I think I'll be well-prepared for a life with you."

"W-W-Wait a moment, wait a moment!" She raised her hand, her face red all over as she tried to comprehend where their conversation was going. "Wh-When did you start thinking about m-m-marriage?!"

Tenya brought a hand to his chin and closed his eyes for a moment. "Do you remember when we first met when we were children?"

"Wh— That long ago?!"

"Ah, no," he replied, taking a seat beside her again. "When I first saw you, I thought I heard bells ringing in my head for a moment, as if I was being told something. However, since we were mere children back then, I never really paid mind to it."

Sera felt tears prickle her eyes. "Ah..."

"I told nii-san about it and he said he didn't know what it was since he never experienced it," he stated, clasping his hands together before resting them on his lap. "And when I told my parents about it, they simply told me that I'd find out the meaning of it sooner or later. As for the part where I started thinking about marriage, well..."

He gently took one of her hands into his own, smiling as he realised not a lot has changed between them. Her hands were still much smaller than his own. "It just came to me naturally, as if my instincts were telling me that you were someone I needed in my life. However, I carefully came to consider it when your oba-san commented on the kind of children we would have together."

He brought her hand to his lips and smiled as he brushed a kiss on her knuckles. "Now that you mentioned it, I never got around to telling you, but I like you quite a lot, Sera-chan."

He looked at her and saw how she had an annoyed expression on her red face. "S-Stupid Ten-chan..."

"S-Sera-chan?"

"Why are you saying this just now?" She whined, throwing a fist to his chest. "Y-You... You're really gonna make leaving so hard..."

"I apologise..." He murmured. "I thought it would be better to tell you before you go rather than regretting it."

She moved rather swiftly, taking his face into her palms and rushing in to kiss him, giving him no time to react.

"I love you, Iida Tenya!" She exclaimed, red-faced and teary-eyed as she held his face in her hands. "Don't ever forget!"

Tenya clutched her wrists and smiled back, tears threatening to spring out from his blue eyes. He gave her a sure nod. "I won't ever forget."

Figuring it was rather unsafe for them to remain in his room, they opted to head back downstairs and watch TV in the living room instead while drinking orange juice. Once in a while, Tenya would give Sera a long look before giving her a smile, and she would steal kisses from him at every given opportunity.

He clapped as she sang and danced erratically along with a Kyary Pamyu Pamyu music video, while she laughed breathlessly as he imitated the British Prime Minister talking on international television.

By around 19:30, Tenya's parents arrived, along with Tensei, who was walking with crutches. They were surprised to see the young pair playfully dancing the waltz in their living room, their laughter resounding in the house.

"Ah! Oji-san, oba-san! Tensei onii-chan!" She gently broke off from Tenya's grip and walked towards his family, giving them a deep bow. "Welcome home! I apologise for the intrusion!"

"How have you been, Sera-chan?" Tenya's mother spoke warmly, smiling at the young girl. "It certainly has been a while."

The younger Iida son made his way to his parents, taking the plastic bags from his father's hands.

"Mm, it certainly has been," Sera replied, watching closely as the three walked in. She warmly smiled at Tensei, gently reaching out to assist him.

"Look at you," the older son remarked, ruffling the younger girl's hair with an unsteady hand. "You've grown into such a pretty girl!"

Sera smiled as she felt Tensei place his arm around her, allowing her to assist him to a seat. "How are you feeling, Tensei onii-chan?"

"A lot better, actually," he said with a sigh as they slumped to a seat in the living room. Their parents, as well as Tenya disappeared to the kitchen to prepare dinner. The older brother smiled at Sera, who was still holding his hand. "How have you been, Sera-chan?"

She took a moment to gaze at Tensei, who looked very much like an older version of Tenya. He wore a dark blue pressed shirt, similar to what his younger brother always wore, along with light-coloured pants. She smiled back at him. "I'm doing well, onii-chan."

"That's good," he remarked, grasping the small hand in his own larger one. "Has Tenya been treating you well?"

She flinched at his question for a split second before managing a nervous smile. "He most certainly has been."

"He told us you were leaving for Australia. Is that true?"

She gave him a rueful smile and nodded. "Ji-chan and I will be spending some time there to... To think and train and stuff."

"That's understandable," he said. "I'm pretty sure he doesn't want to admit it, but you've always been Sentaro-san's favourite, huh?"

She shrugged at him and sat back, looking up at his blue eyes. "I guess there's no denying that."

"It's just like what he did to her..." He silently remarked, eliciting a curious look from the young girl. "Ah, it's nothing. Pay no mind to that, Sera-chan."

Sera rested her cheek on the couch and let out a small laugh. "I can't help but think that Ten-chan will look like you when he gets older."

"Hmm, you think so?" He brought a hand to his chin and looked thoughtful, imitating his little brother's serious look. "Like this?"

She brought a hand to her mouth to stop her laughter. "Y-Yes, onii-chan! Just like that!"

Tensei was surprised when his younger brother suddenly appeared behind Sera, wrapping an arm around her shoulder. "Nii-san, I'll have you know that Sera-chan did have a crush on you when we were younger, but please show some restraint."

"T-Ten-chan?!"

"Please stop making my future wife laugh more than I do," Tenya stated, adjusting his glasses before releasing Sera once again and disappearing back into the kitchen.

Tensei was holding back his laughter. "He might not show it, but he's actually quite possessive."

Sera had a pout on her red face, bringing a fist to her forehead. "How childish..."

"You know, Sera-chan, I'm surprised he only acted now, seeing as you've always been together to begin with, but, ah, I guess Tenya's afraid to further lose what you two have," the older brother smiled at her.

"While it's true I did have a crush on Tensei onii-chan, it was only for a little while," she said with a laugh. "And maybe it's just because I was drawn to the thought of an older Ten-chan..."

"I'm glad you two are talking again, Sera-chan," Tensei remarked. "He seems a little happier again. Ah, I was hoping he'd be the same kind of chipper again, but seeing as you're leaving soon..."

"Onii-chan, Ten-chan will always be happy even when I'm not here anymore," Sera replied with a grin. "I know I'll always be his favourite one, but he has a lot of amazing friends at UA, after all."

Tenya smiled as he saw his two favourite people happily talking. "Honestly... They're talking about me like I'm not even here."

His parents showed great interest in Sera's stories, especially since they haven't seen her in a while. They knew that the girl was a talkative one, even when she and Tenya were younger, but they spoke to her with great ease.

"If you find yourselves in Australia, oji-san, oba-san, you should let me know! I'm sure ji-chan and tou-chan would love to have you there!" She exclaimed excitedly as she held her half-empty rice bowl.

"Well, I'm sure Tenya will be the first one to show up there, Sera-chan," Tensei said with a chuckle. "He needs to do something because I think you're going to be pretty popular with the locals."

She stifled her laughter as she felt Tenya tense up beside her.

"I'll be with ji-chan the whole time, so I don't think we'll be meeting a lot of people. He said we'll be staying in Melbourne, one of the colder cities there."

Tenya smiled to himself as he listened to Sera's babbling. It's been a while since he last heard their home bustling with so much meaningful noise, but he realised it may be the last time he hears it.


	7. Not like the movies

**Not like the movies.**

* * *

"Ten-chan, you didn't have to walk me back home," Sera remarked as she turned back to Tenya, who was standing a few steps away from her. She was already standing on their front porch.

"I just wanted to make sure you get home safe," he replied, surveying the area. "Sera-chan, why are all the lights off?"

She gave him a long look. "Ah, there's no one home but me tonight. Ji-chan and nee-chan are still at the keiretsu because he's packing up some of the stuff he needs for our flight overseas."

"Y-You mean to say you're all alone tonight?"

"Looks like it," she pulled open the gilded door. "Is something wrong, Ten-chan?"

He wasn't talking.

"Are you worried about me spending the night alone?" She had a mischievous smile on her face. "You're welcome to stay—"

She was surprised when he approached her and entered the gate, gently closing it behind him.

"T-Ten-chan?"

"I'll stay with you for a while," he replied, standing beside her closely.

"A-All right then," she quickly turned away from his gaze and opened the door for him. "Welcome."

She flicked the main light switch open and unlaced her sneakers, setting them down on the shoe rack.

Tenya followed suit. "Pardon my intrusion..."

He was startled by the number of brown boxes in the living room. "Ah... It looks like you're really ready to leave."

"Mm..." She replied with a pensive smile. "Have to be up early on Monday because it's gonna be a long flight."

"M-Monday? You mean this coming Monday?!"

She turned back to face her childhood friend, who was still standing by the doorway, a shocked expression painted on his face. She tried to hold back her tears.

"Mmm, ji-chan and I will be heading to the airport fairly early, so..."

Tenya, who rarely showed any negative emotion towards Sera, was surprised when tears started dripping from his eyes. "Ah..."

"T-Ten-chan, stop that," she stomped toward him, taking his face into her small hands. "Please, please, please don't cry..."

"I thought we still had time."

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you when we were leaving," she said, her voice cracking. "I know how hard it would be for me to part from you, so I opted not to tell you, but then you insisted on—"

She was brusquely pulled into a tight embrace, the intensity of his grip almost enough to crush her, yet she didn't mind. She raised her arms to meet his embrace, clinging onto him as tightly as she could.

"I'm sorry, Tenya! I'm sorry!"

"Please don't apologise..." He uttered. "Don't apologise for wanting to grow, Serina. You don't have to apologise for this."

"I love you, Tenya..." She whispered to him, blinking away her tears.

"I know, Serina," he gently broke their embrace and kissed her forehead. "I'll be waiting here, so take your time."


	8. The Waltz of Four Left Feet

**The Waltz of Four Left Feet.**

* * *

On the first day of the new week, Tenya was seen gazing up at the sky as he saw a plane fly over their school.

"Iida-kun!"

He turned and saw Izuku, Ochaco and Shouto approaching him. "Good morning!"

The four of them made their way to their classroom, chattering about their weekend exploits. Tenya tried to drown his thoughts in his friends' conversations, anything to distract himself from the sadness threatening to rear its ugly head. Shouto and Ochaco had already entered their classroom and he was about to follow, but he was stopped when Izuku gently grasped his shoulder.

"Iida-kun."

Tenya turned back and faced him. "What is it, Midoriya-kun?"

"We heard about Koganei-san. Some of people from 1-B were pretty upset about it," he started. "But I remembered you two are close friends."

"Ah..."

"I know she's been a constant source of support and encouragement for you, but please keep in mind that we're here, too."

Tenya smiled, placing a firm hand on Izuku's shoulder. "That's exactly what she said, Midoriya-kun. That's why I..."

He paused and closed his eyes, gently composing himself. "She said she'll be working hard, so I have to do my best, too. We all have to."

A bright smile appeared on Izuku's face. He nodded at his remark. He started talking about some of the new Pro Heroes that made their debut over the weekend.

* * *

_'Ten-chan, ji-chan and I finally got settled down in a place called North Melbourne. It's been raining ever since we arrived here. The place looks very different from Musutafu, where it's always sunny.'_

"Come, Sera-chan," Koganei Sentaro, who now wore a pressed red dress shirt and dark chinos and held a golden cane on his right hand, called for his granddaughter, who wore a beige overcoat under her red dress and white sneakers. Sera pulled her hair up into a big bun so her hair won't get caught in her brown scarf.

"Coming, ji-chan!"

_'It turns out ji-chan has some friends in high places over here. He managed to get his friends to pull some strings and got me into a Victorian hero academy. He told me it's a state academy, which meant it's just as prestigious as UA, so I guess it's a start.'_

"Will you be all right?" The elderly man asked his granddaughter, who was already halfway through the building entrance. She smiled at him.

"Ji-chan, we didn't travel this far just for you to worry about me like Ten-chan," she remarked. "Please don't worry about me. I'll be all right."

She slung her backpack over her shoulder and gave him a wave before disappearing into the red brick building. It was her first step into the unknown without someone there to catch her, but she knew she would be fine.

She walked into the classroom and found faces of various colours watching her closely. The homeroom teacher held out his hand to present her to the class. Taking a deep breath, she pictured a smiling Tenya for a moment before finally speaking.

"It's nice to meet you all! My name is Serina Koganei. I'll be in your care."

_'I think I could get used to this kind of life. It's still nowhere near better than being with you, of course, but I want to be able to live my life without being watched all the time. I won't be reckless, I won't be careless. I promise I'll be good while I'm here, so please put your mind at ease.'_

"It's time you put your back into this, Serina! Now come!"

Sera pulled a gold rod from her head as her father, Koganei Seito, charged at her with golden pipes in his hands. She charged back at him, slugging and countering his attack with every force in her body.

_'I'll be home before you know it. Love you. - Sera'_

Tenya smiled as he reached the end of Sera's e-mail. He scrolled down the screen and saw a few photos attached to the message, such as a selfie of her outside her new school, a photo of her grandfather standing outside their new business outlet, a photo of her and her father watching a game of AFL at the MCG and a photo of her new room.

"Work hard, Sera-chan," he uttered in the darkness of his dorm room. He was already tucked in, but he wanted to finish reading the first e-mail she sent him ever since her arrival in Australia. Surprisingly, he started typing a few things to a draft e-mail.

_'Sera-chan, I know I said I'd be waiting patiently, but I guess what I really wanted to say was hurry back home to me.'_

He shook his head and started backspacing. "How selfish."

_'I'll be working hard on my end, so take all the time you think you need—' _

"I need to work hard, for her sake too."

* * *

Notes: This was kind of a hard chapter to write, especially during Sera's e-mail. I tried to think of a better way for her to show her life in Australia without dragging out the entire thing. I thought of horizontal lines, but I figured eh- I thought ending with Tenya reading the thing was actually nice.


	9. Eccentric Lady

**Eccentric Lady.**

* * *

**21 August 20XX, 13:30. Six years later.**

* * *

There was much bustling in Tokyo Airport. Several flights from different parts of the world have descended on the Land of the Rising Sun and such was the Qantas plane that carried Australians eager to explore what the place has to offer.

A sigh escaped the lips of a young woman who wore a jumper dress and a light pink overcoat. She tapped her thick-soled white sneakers as she waited for her check-in luggage at the baggage carousel. She scanned her phone through her dark sunglasses, pushing them up to her forehead to read a single message.

_'Welcome home, Serina.'_

She removed her sun hat and let down a wave of gold hair that reached her knees. Shaking her head, she smiled to herself as she reached out for her luggage, which was covered in a baggage wrapper printed with cats.

Bright eyes surveyed the airport, drawn to a poster of the new top Pro Heroes patrolling the streets of Musutafu. A smile played on her lips as she saw the familiar faces, save for Ingenium, whose face was hidden underneath his knight-like helmet.

"Ojou-sama."

Sera jumped as she was tapped on the shoulder by a middle-aged man in a dark suit and tie. "Geez, Yohan-san! I just got back and yer giving me a heart attack!"

"My apologies, Serina-san," he chuckled, bowing his head before her. Sakashita Yohan was one of Koganei Sentaro's trusted bodyguards whom he left in Japan for Serika. He had a rather gruff exterior, tanned skin and a soft stubble that peppered his chin and jaw. "How have you been?"

"Absolutely elated that I don't have to speak in English anymore," she said with a laugh, turning over her luggage to the older man. "Where's nee-chan?"

"As you know, she had to stay at the keiretsu," he replied, pulling the medium-sized luggage as they walked side by side. "Shall we head there?"

"Mm, yes," she nodded at him. "Ya wanna grab some taiyaki before we head there?"

Yohan chuckled. "Your accent is slipping, ojou-sama."

She made the older man smile even more as she proceeded to talk madly with her Australian accent.

* * *

"How have you been, Musutafu?"

The dark car she was riding pulled up at the lobby of the Koganei Keiretsu Support Company. She stepped out of the car and walked into the building, smiling at the people and workers who carefully watched her.

The Koganei Keiretsu was a small glass building that only had 30 floors. It was barely a skyscraper, but people in the area considered it a landmark because of the single golden statue of a tiger that sat before its entrance. Sera got into an elevator and pressed the button to the topmost floor of the building, eliciting strange looks from the people already inside. She pulled up her sunglasses to her head and saw their expressions change from contempt to surprise as they met her eyes, as if finally coming to their senses. She sighed to herself, watching as each worker scurried out of the elevator to their respective floors, evading her gaze as they stepped out.

When the elevator reached the 30th floor, she saw her elder sister gazing out of the window, a knowing smile reflected on the glass.

"Someone told me an eccentric figure entered the premises," Serika turned to her little sister and smiled. She was wearing a green dress shirt and slacks paired with dark pumps. Her blonde hair, which had already grown past her neck, was tied in a loose braid that hung over her left shoulder. "If I weren't so kind, that person would've lost their job now."

A cheeky smile spread across Sera's face as she ran to her sister, excitedly jumping into her arms. "Nee-chan!"

Serika stumbled a little as their frames crashed into each other. She took her little sister into her arms and ran a hand over her long hair. "Did you receive my message?"

"Mm," the younger girl nodded, breaking apart from their hug.

The older girl took a good look at her little sister, smiling as she tucked a lock of her much longer hair behind her ear. "Look at you."

Their golden eyes met, wide smiles on their faces.

"Oh, let's take a selfie!" Sera whipped out her phone from her pocket. "Need to let tou-chan know that we're already together."

"Of course. Everyone would love to have a photo with Goldrush, huh?" Serika remarked.

The older girl was quite surprised at some of the strange habits her younger sister picked up during her time in Melbourne, Australia. She noticed Sera's accent would slip once in a while and she would speak rather animatedly. They talked without a care in the world, unconscious of the company workers lined up along their way out of the building. Every head bowed as the sisters walked past them.

"Aren't you ever getting married, nee-chan?" Sera asked rather absentmindedly. She heard her sister scoff at her question.

"You and Tenya-kun should just make a lot of children," Serika said with a shrug. "Then we can put one in charge of the keiretsu."

"Wh-What?!" The younger girl squeaked.

"Reminds me..." The older girl brought a finger to her lips. "Have you even told him that you've returned?"

"Well, he's in for a nice 22nd birthday," Sera chuckled. They got into the same dark she was in earlier, Yohan still on the wheel. "But let's head home for now, ne?"

* * *

"Aaaaaahhh! Look at my lovely little Serina!"

Sera returned her grandmother's hug despite feeling rather crushed by it. "Baa-chan!"

Contrast to her husband's striking light hair and eyes, the Koganei matriarch had dyed brown hair and matching brown eyes that none of her sons inherited. It was a peculiar image to Sera, especially when she was younger, seeing her father and her three other uncles all looking like her grandfather, with their striking golden eyes and light-coloured hair.

"How have you been, love?" The old woman winked at her, beckoning her to sit beside her. "How are your father and grandfather doing?"

Surprisingly, Sera, her sister, and her grandmother spent the rest of the evening catching up about her exploits in Australia.

"Oh, I got my Provisional Hero License when I was in Australia!" Sera exclaimed with a huge smile on her face. "Now I'm wondering if I can still have it updated or upgraded now that I'm back home. Will I have to join an office or an agency?"

Their grandmother turned to her older granddaughter, observing how she had a pensive smile on her face as her sister spoke of her hero license.

"I hope you don't mind if I turn in for today," Serika rose from her seat. She ruffled Serina's hair and chuckled. "You can always ask Tenya-kun what you have to do, Serina. Good night."

"Good night, Serika nee-chan."

She and her grandmother watched as Serika's retreating figure disappeared upstairs, listening to the gentle closing of her bedroom door.

The old woman sighed. "She must still be hurt about it."

"Nee-chan? Hurt about what?"

"Serina, little bird, you've probably heard from your father and grandfather that your sister never wanted to be a hero," she caressed the cup of lukewarm tea in her hands. "Has it ever crossed your mind that she may have been forced to turn away from her dream?"

* * *

That night, Serika was surprised when her little sister got into her room and in her bed, curling beside her closely.

"Nee-chan..." Sera whispered. "Baa-chan told me something."

The older girl rolled to her other side to face her little sister, who was in fluffy pyjamas as well. She gently lifted her blanket and beckoned her to get in. Sighing, Serika couldn't help but speak. There was no use in pretending to be asleep, anyway.

"What did she tell you?"

"Did you... actually want to be a hero?"

The pale moon shone a little light in her room, peeking through her mint green curtains.

"I envy you and Tenya-kun, you know. How you became inseparable even as time passed... And that hero name you're using now... Do you remember when I suggested that to you?"

Sera nodded. Serika brushed away the strands of hair on her little sister's forehead.

"That was supposed to be my hero name, Serina. It was given to me by Tensei when we were younger."

The younger girl pursed her lips as she listened to her elder sister speak. It's been years since they last spoke so closely, so she opened her heart and mind to what her sister had to say, hoping she would understand why she feels the way she does.

"It was tou-chan's greed that led me here. He... It was his greed that ripped me away from my dream. It was his greed that pushed me to pursue business instead of heroism. It was because he didn't want to surrender his birthright to his brothers. Tou-chan wanted everything, after all. And guess what?"

In the darkness, Sera could make out how her sister's eyes were getting glassy with tears.

"He managed to get everything, Serina," Serika said with a chuckle. "He got everything."

Sera gently scooted over and entered her sister's arms, wrapping her own arms around her as well. "Nee-chan, I don't think it's too late..."

"It's too late for me, Serina," Serika ran her fingers through Sera's hair. "But not for you. So, please... For the two of us... Be a hero."

"Do you also think that it's too late for you and Tensei onii-chan to reconcile?"

"Hmm..."

"Now that you mentioned it, before I left, I remember he said something around the lines of 'he did it again' when I talked about my enrollment from UA being withdrawn. Could he be talking about..."

"Let's get some sleep, ne?" Serika closed her eyes. "Get some rest, Serina. You had a long day, right?"

"Please don't be so hard on yourself, Serika nee-chan..." Seeing her sister's discomfort prompted Sera to close her eyes as well. "You deserve to be happy, too."


	10. All This And Heaven Too

**All This And Heaven Too.**

* * *

**22 August 20XX, 17:15. Ingenium's 22nd Birthday.**

* * *

"Ah, c-can we help you, miss...?"

The receptionists in the building were quick to assist the young woman in a red dress, her pink overcoat sliding off her shoulders as she struggled to get through the glass doors. She held a cake box in one of her hands, struggling and stumbling a little as she reached for the straps of her dark sandals which came undone.

She turned to the young women in suits. "Ah, yes, I'm here to see Iida Tenya."

Sera raised her thick eyeglasses to her head again, surprising the receptionists as she smiled at them.

"C-Could she be...?"

With assistance from the receptionists, she placed the fluffy cake and her dark purse on the receptionists' desk and raised her leg to adjust the straps of her sandals.

"Should've just worn sneakers instead..." She muttered, finally figuring out the clasp of her sandals.

"Ah! K-Koganei-san? I mean— Goldrush!"

Sera looked up at who called her and met the eyes of Midoriya Izuku, who now goes by the hero name Deku. His green eyes shone in excitement as he approached her, still in his teal-coloured hero costume. He was followed closely by Todoroki Shouto, who was also in his royal blue hero costume.

"Izuku-san!" She smiled back as she came face to face with the pair. "And Shouto-san, too!"

She paid no mind to the whispering and chattering of the people around them. However, she couldn't help but wonder why her arrival warranted such gossip.

_"It's definitely her! Shiny Hero: Goldrush!"_

_"There's no mistaking it... She's the girl on Iida-san's—"_

_"She's really here!"_

"I'm sure you're wondering why you're so well-known," Izuku said with a grin. "I think everyone in Iida-kun's company knows who you are."

"Does Iida know you're here, Koganei?" Shouto asked, eyeing her belongings on the receptionists' desk.

"Well, it's supposed to be a surprise, but..." She replied with a nervous smile. "Where is he, anyway?"

"He's just getting something from his office," Izuku replied. "We're supposed to head out tonight to celebrate his birthday, but seeing as you're here..."

"Oh, is that so? I can always come by again tomorrow," she raised her hands in defence. "You probably planned something for him, I wouldn't want to impose and ruin it!"

"N-No, of course not, Koganei-san!" She met Izuku's nervous green eyes. "I'm sure Iida-kun would love to spend his birthday with you!"

"Ah," Shouto remarked, a grin on his face. "Why don't we just let him decide what he wants to do instead?"

Sera turned around and saw her childhood friend still dressed in his dark one-piece suit, a few pieces of his light armour still attached to his shins. He was standing a few steps behind her, a surprised expression on his face as he froze in his spot.

"Ten-chan!" She exclaimed, a bright smile on her face as she ran towards him. "I'm home! Happy—"

It was her turn to be surprised when she was met by a tight embrace. She felt warm tears fill her eyes as she tiptoed and raised her arms to hug him back. "Happy Birthday, Ten-chan."

"Thank you, Sera-chan."

They stood there for a good minute before the people around them started clapping, including the two Pro Heroes behind Sera. They broke apart, startled by the attention they received. However, Tenya was still holding Sera's hands.

"Welcome home," he said, smiling at her. Sera smiled back at him, tears flowing from her eyes as she curled her fingers to grasp his hands as well. She could only eagerly nod at him.

"We were just about to head out for drinks. You should join us!"

She was about to disagree, but when Deku started talking about a certain restaurant that served good pork cutlet bowls, she felt her mouth water a little. Relenting, she spent the rest of the evening with the birthday boy and his two closest friends aside from her. For some reason, she had hoped her drinking in Australia would help raise her alcohol tolerance even just a little, but the sharpness of the drinks they had just rushed straight to her head.

_'It's jet-lag,'_ she chided herself without realising that the two countries' timezones were only an hour apart from each other.

Surprisingly, it was Izuku who developed a strong tolerance for alcohol, and he was the one who made sure all his friends got home safe.

_'It definitely came with the body,' _Sera poked him before she was swatted away by Shouto.

"Iida-kun, are you sure you'll be fine with Koganei-san with you?"

"Ah, yes," Tenya, who had mild tolerance, was still able to hold himself throughout the rest of the evening. "We'll be fine."

* * *

Sera basked in the coolness of Tenya's dark-coloured sheets, taking in a scent she dearly missed. She was a little surprised when the bed shifted her position and found herself pinned under his larger frame. She gently reached up to his face and pulled down his glasses.

"Tenya..."

They both didn't say much afterwards, seeing as the alcohol quickly took over them, but she could remember the little things, such as the gentle way he held her, the small kisses she left on his scarred arm, the warmth of the kisses he brushed on her cheeks, the quiet pants and moans they exchanged rather shyly and the clear-coloured early morning sunlight that peeked through the dark blue curtains, as if reminding her that she was home again.

Waking up in his arms the next morning, she was sure of at least one thing.

_'This is definitely home.'_


	11. Providentia

**Providentia.**

* * *

**23 August 20XX.**

* * *

Cafe Lilico was one of the very few buildings to retain its rustic appearance despite the rapid gentrification of Musutafu. The small brick and wood cafe was situated between glass buildings, flower pots in full bloom lined outside its perimeters. From the inside of the cafe, which smelled of mint and thyme, a slightly older Iida Tensei sat on one of the tables near a window, sipping on a warm drink in a delicate rose-printed porcelain teacup. He was in blue, just like always, and his crutches rested against his wooden seat. The cafe was special for him during his high school days at UA as he and some of his friends would frequent the place after their classes.

Looking back, he thought it was rather odd for a group of high school boys to be hanging out in a rustic cafe that sells good coffee and parfaits, but he recalled better memories, such as some with a good friend of his.

A good friend whom he would be meeting in a while.

The sound of the small bell that hung on the cafe's wooden door prompted him to gently turn. For a moment, he was surprised to see a slightly older familiar face halfway through. He couldn't help but smile. "How have you been, Seri-chan?"

"Don't call me that," Serika, in a pale teal dress, replied with a huff. "It's been years since I last saw you, T-Ten... Tensei."

"What? You can't call me Ten-chan just like how you used to?" He gave her a teasing grin.

"You know we're already almost 40," Serika took a seat across him. "Childish nicknames are..."

"Or is it because Sera-chan uses that name on Tenya? Whatever it is, don't let her hear that," Tensei replied with a chuckle.

A waitress approached the pair. "Have you decided on what you'll be having, miss?"

"I'll have a chocoffee and a grape tart," Serika turned to the young waitress and replied with a small smile. "Make that two grape tarts."

The waitress in a brown uniform scurried away with their orders.

"I was a little surprised you actually called," Tensei started. "Now how about you answer my question, eh? How have you been?"

"I should be asking you," she replied. "How are you feeling?"

Tensei was quiet and thoughtful for a moment, smiling at something outside the cafe window. Serika tilted her head in wonder, slowly taking in his appearance. She saw much of him in Tenya, especially when the younger brother came over to visit their home when Sera was still around.

"I've been well," he replied rather tensely. "Though I have to admit, it's a little strange having to rely on other people to get from place to place."

She figured. Tensei was a well-known leader who was often relied on by a lot of his subordinates, so she knew it would be hard for him to be the one relying on people now.

A tray containing a cup and two plates of grape tarts was placed on their round table. "Enjoy your meal!"

He smiled at Serika. "You really do love that drink, huh?"

"Yeah," she smiled back, taking the blue rose-printed porcelain cup in her hands. "It's my favourite."

She blew into the cup, a cloud of steam swirling over her nose.

"Does it ever get lonely up there?"

"What?"

"You're the boss of your family's support company," Tensei eyed her movements. "But are you happy?"

A rueful smile played on her face as she placed one of the two plates before him, presenting him with a fork. "Are we really going to discuss this?"

He took it from her hands and grinned. "Why else would you call me up?"

Serika sighed. "You know, when Serina arrived a few days ago, she asked me something that bothered me a little."

Tensei sliced through the square-shaped tart. "And that is?"

"She asked me if I thought that it was too late to reconcile with you. To be honest, I was a little bothered by that question especially since we haven't talked for years."

"Did she know about your past? From what I heard from her, it seemed like you hated the thought of being a hero, which is why you ended up being..."

She quirked an eyebrow at him.

"You ended up being what you are now," he stated. "A cool and fearless leader."

"I don't think I'm cool or fearless at all, Tensei," she replied, setting down her cup. "I've been resigned to this fate and I took it in stride. If you're looking for the right word to describe me, it's more of detached."

"I see."

"And what about you?" She asked. "How does it feel being..."

"Down here?" He said with a chuckle. "Things really do look different when you're standing on top of something, huh?"

"I know you," Serika said with a knowing smile on her face as she gently split her tart in half. "You would prefer to be down with the others rather than just standing on top of everything."

"...Fair point," he nodded. "Sorry, I didn't think about that analogy. This really has nothing to do with where we're standing now."

He took a bite into the tart and Serika couldn't tell if he was smiling or wincing. "Ah, still as sweet and sour as ever."

And she couldn't help but laugh a little.

"That's actually quite refreshing to hear."

Serika suddenly looked up from her plate, surprised to see a few golden leaves drop on the white linen table cover. "Tensei, what the hell?"

* * *

If there was one thing that Sera missed from Australia, it was the rainy afternoons in North Melbourne. Following Tenya's 22nd birthday, she tried to shed her thick overcoats for airy summer dresses that were more fit for Musutafu's warmer weather. However, when she met up with him earlier today, he insisted on making her wear one of his favourite wool cardigans, thinking her strapped and backless dress would draw too much attention.

The gray dampened her bright-coloured floral dress like a rain cloud would a sunny day, but she didn't mind it that much anymore because the cardigan smelled of sea island cotton and citrus fruits, something that distinctly smelled of Tenya.

"Ten-chan."

Tenya opened the passengers' seat door of his car for her and sat her in, instinctively reaching for the seatbelt to buckle her in. "Is something the matter, Sera-chan?"

She nervously pursed her lips as he leaned down to lock her seatbelt in place, his brows slightly furrowing in concentration. "Ya know..."

"Mm?" He replied rather absentmindedly. "There you go. Now, what were you saying, Sera-chan?"

_'Oh, man,'_ she thought to herself. They were both surprised when a few small gold leaves suddenly popped out from her side.

"What's wrong?" He turned to look at her, her face red all over. "Are you sick, Sera-chan?"

Tenya gently brushed up her hair and brought his forehead against her own, checking her temperature. "Hmm... You seem all right, but why—"

He was startled by the puff of gold leaves that Sera suddenly shed.

"G-Geez," she gently pushed him away, turning away from his face. "I'm fine, T-Ten-chan!"

"All right then," he said with a grin before leaning down again to kiss her cheek. "Shall we?"

He was going to have a hard time cleaning away the gold leaves in his car.

* * *

Tensei and Serika were on their second cups of chocoffee when they started talking about their younger siblings. They were both in their first year of high school in UA when their little brother and sister were born. She knew that Tensei and Tenya had an amicable relationship right off the bat when the little brother was born, but she couldn't say the same for her and Sera, whom she had a rather odd on and off sister relationship with.

She stirred a golden teaspoon in her cup. "What can you say about how Tenya-kun is running your agency?"

"It's his agency now," Tensei replied, stirring a teaspoon in his cup as well. "I'm only helping him out. I have to admit, his single-minded thinking and straightforward way of running things kind of scares me, but he's doing pretty well even though he's still quite young."

"Serina should definitely consider working with him," she lifted her cup to her lips. "Ah, but you know how lovers don't work well together on the job..."

"Don't say that, Seri-chan," he gently pointed his teaspoon at her. "My mother and father worked pretty well during their time as heroes."

"I don't know... Serina's fighting style is just too different from Tenya-kun's, seeing as she's so reckless... And knowing the two of them, they would always been needlessly worrying about each other. But I know Tenya-kun always gets the job done. He's not a top-ranking hero for nothing."

"I know. He used to be Ingenium's 'little brother', but now... The name's really stuck on him."

A strange silence enveloped the two friends. Serika softly ran her fingers over the fresh white roses in a vase on their table.

"I don't resent my little sister for being blessed with the life I wanted," she stated as she took a sip from her cup again. "I don't hate her for taking my name. Why would I? She had no clue at all."

"Seri-chan."

"One of the first things she told me when she got home is that I deserved to be happy," She turned her eyes to Tensei, who saw a light glimmer in them. "Me calling you out here... I think this is just me reconciling with my past and my dreams that I let die."

"It wasn't your fault that the life you wanted for yourself was taken from you, Serika," he held her gaze. "You do deserve to be happy."

"Tensei..."

"You know, I forgot to tell you, but I know that you visited me years ago when I was still confined at Hosu," he had a small smile on his face. "I was barely conscious, and at first I thought that it was Sera-chan, but there's no mistaking that it was really you."

Serika recalled the horrific incident from years ago, where she struggled to compose herself when she arrived at Hosu General Hospital. She heard everything from Tensei's mother, who was distraught at the fact that his son may never be able to walk again.

"I remember..." He quietly said. "You called me a fighter and that I would jump back from this."

"Of course you are," she replied, eyeing her half-empty cup of chocoffee. She contemplated on having another one.

"I didn't see you again after that," Tensei said with a chuckle. "You were a close friend that was ripped from my arms when we were younger, so when I heard from Tenya that the same thing was happening to Sera-chan, I couldn't help but be a bit bothered... But I saw how constantly the two of them spoke throughout the six years Sera-chan was away and realised they must really like each other."

Serika looked up and saw her friend concentrating his eyes on the ray of sunlight outside the tiny cafe, her eyes following the sight.

"It just made me wonder a little..." He rested his chin on his palm. "If I had kept in touch with you..."

The two of them were startled to see the surprised looks on the faces of their younger siblings, who were peering from outside the cafe window.

"Th-That's nee-chan and Tensei onii-chan, right?" Sera exclaimed, turning to Tenya, who had the same surprised expression on his face.

"He mentioned that he would be meeting a good friend of his, but I never thought that it was Serika nee-san."

The younger pair saw their older siblings waving their hands at them from the inside, beckoning them to come in.

"Welcome! A party for two?" The same brunette waitress welcomed Serina and Tenya, whose entrance was announced by the small chime of the bell that hung on the cafe's old wooden door.

"We'll have a party of four instead," Serika rose from her seat and pointed to a larger table on the other end of the cafe. "May we transfer there?"

"Certainly! Please wait a moment," the young waitress disappeared from the scene to fix the said table.

"Ah, it looks like you've been here for a while," Sera eyed the contents of their table and found four cups and two plates.

"Nii-san, you didn't tell me the important friend you were meeting today was Serika nee-san."

"Well, we're more surprised to see the two of you here," Tensei said with a laugh. "This place is..."

"Sera-chan and I went here a few times when we were in high school," Tenya stated. "She thought the place was cute."

The younger brother observed the soft way Serika spoke to his elder brother and how she gently assisted him to the other table. Tensei moved rather clumsily as he slung one arm over the older woman's shoulders and took his crutches in his other hand. Tenya heard her ask his brother if he could manage.

"Is there a word to describe how two friends can still remain close despite the time that separated them?" Sera asked, giving Tenya's hand a squeeze as they watched their older siblings. She felt him shrug as he turned to her with a small smile on his face. They approached the two older figures and sat across them, the young waitress on their tail.

"I want a chocoffee and a strawberry tart," Sera lifted the small worn-out menu on the table and turned to Tenya. "And you?"

"A chocoffee and some Kaya toast as well."

"I heard their grape tart is good as well! Would you like to try it, Ten-chan?"

Tensei stifled his laughter as he observed their younger siblings. "Ahh, I'm sorry, Sera-chan. I wasn't laughing at you. I guess Tenya really likes that name."

"Nii-san, please compose yourself," the younger brother raised his hand to scold his brother. "We're in a public place, after all."

"I'm sorry," Tensei chuckled again. "I just can't help but think that love is a dangerous business, and you've gotten yourself into something tricky, the two of you."

Serika sighed into her palm before smiling. "You know, I'm surprised that no matter how close the two of you are, you never picked up each other's habits... But you understand each other just like clockwork."

"Sera-chan has always been a daydreamer, so I guess you could say that I'm..." Tenya spoke rather surely, a proud smile on his face.

Sera couldn't help but nod at him in defeat. "Yes, Ten-chan, you're the anchor that keeps my feet on the ground when my head's in the clouds."

"Have you two ever heard of providentia?" Serika asked them. "They say when two destined people meet, they receive signs about what kind of future they're going to have with that person. Didn't you once tell me you heard bells when you first saw Tenya-kun, Serina? I wonder what that means."

"Oh," Tensei remarked. "Tenya asked me about the same thing before, but I didn't know what to say because I had no idea what he was talking about."

"D-Don't look at us like that!" Sera raised her hand in defence, her face as red as the strawberry tart placed on their table. "T-T-Tenya and I aren't even—!"

"Suddenly, he's Tenya and not Ten-chan," the older brother chuckled. "You used to be more honest about your feelings, Sera-chan. What happened?"

"Well, we're sure about one thing," the younger man gently reached for Sera's hand under the table and smiled at her.

"W-We're definitely in love, so please...! Please don't ask us about marriage yet!"

Their laughter was enough to fill the small cafe.

* * *

The news of Ingenium's engagement spread like wildfire over the next few days. It also meant busier days for the Koganei Keiretsu Support Company, since they soon became his agency's direct supplier of support gear. Most people thought Tenya's engagement to the young lady of the Koganei Keiretsu was out of convenience, but keen onlookers were quick to point out the depth of their relationship with each other. The tale of two childhood friends who grew up to become young heroes and then lovers became a well-loved story in Musutafu.

* * *

_"Ah, Serina, one moment."_

_The pair stood in front of the Koganei residence, the night sky sprinkled with lines and strings of white stars over them. _

_"What is it?" _

_Tenya didn't say a word when he gently took her left hand and slid a single silver ring on her ring finger. The simple band was enough to render Sera to tears. _

_"Y-You...!"_

_"I did a lot of thinking over the years you were away," he started. "You didn't just leave for yourself, didn't you, Serina? You were also thinking about me and how I would handle things here as well... And I appreciate your consideration." _

_Sera had a mouth on her hand, as if trying to stop herself from speaking. _

_"I only realised how much strength and support I drew from you when you left," he smiled at her. "Ah, this is probably gonna sound strange and selfish, but please don't go anywhere anymore." _

_She could only nod at him, her lips curling into a smile as tears fell from her eyes, flowing to her cheeks. _

_He took her smaller hand into his own again. "Ready when you are." _

_Sera felt like her back was going to break at the intensity of their embrace, but she didn't mind at all. "I think I've been ready ever since we first met, Tenya." _

* * *

**Fin.**

* * *

Thanks to everyone who took their time to read this! To be honest, I never thought I'd ever write something again (let alone something so fluffy). I know I promised I'd share some of the songs I listened to during this writing spree, so if you're up for listening to some old and new stuff, here they are (it's a mixed bag of random songs, so please don't expect much)!

1\. Mine and Settle Down - The 1975

2\. Suddenly, You Are Floating - + sorako

3\. No Such Thing - Sara Bareilles

4\. Location Unknown - Honne

5\. A Soliloquy of The Boy who Cried Wolf - + Cana (Sotte Bosse)

6\. Dumb Blonde - Avril Lavigne + Nicki Minaj

7\. Princesses Don't Cry - Aviva

8\. Dear Future Self (Hands Up) - Fall Out Boy + Wyclef Jean

9\. How Do You Sleep? - Sam Smith

10\. Never Really Over - Katy Perry

Farewell for the meantime! 'Til the next story! Plus ultra!

**~ SongsOfAdelaide**


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